What Choice Remains
by rhonderoo and Jedi Trace
Summary: Original Trilogy. Vader, Mara, Palpatine, Luke. Mara Jade is secretly apprenticed to Darth Vader. Drama, some Angst, Canon for the OT, AU for EU content. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter One

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Setting:** OT-era  
  
**Genre:** Drama, AU for EU content, some angst  
  
**Summary:** A Darth Vader / Mara Jade story set during the OT. Content: canon for the OT, AU for parts of the EU.  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated.

**CHAPTER ONE**  
  
The galaxy's vastness closed in on the Imperial shuttle as it made the descent from hyperspace. Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith watched out the viewport as the ship made its way into the surrounding space lanes of Coruscant. Wearily he recounted in his head the events of the past 6 days, the young pilot who could very well be the death of him, floating somewhere near his subconscious. The Emperor would not be pleased that his new weapon had been destroyed. The Death Star had been blown from space by the Rebel Alliance, the Alliance that Vader was supposed to have stopped.  
  
Vader thought of the presence he had felt in the X-wing, shining brightly from outside the cold vacuum of space. It wasn't often that Vader encountered force-sensitives who weren't employed by the Emperor....or soon to be dead at the end of his blade. How had someone with a force-signature that bright gotten around Emperor's periodic sweep of planets? Sweeps designed to root out the Jedi and bring them to extinction. There was more than just a feeling about this young pilot, his blood leapt. He would have to be very careful when de-briefing the Emperor, very careful indeed. One did not skirt the Emperor's wrath and come away unharmed.  
  
The Emperor possessed something past the dark despair that kept Darth Vader chained to the dark side. Caring of his situation had long since departed. His lot had been cast, his choices made long ago. Born in rage and forged in fire, he no longer had any living thing for which he should exist, and that made him especially dangerous. It did not, however, make him as dangerous as his Master. His Master who worshipped the dark out of something Vader did not care to consider, who worshipped the dark for something besides the despair and hopelessness that had been his companion for the last twenty years. Something purely evil fired his Master's will.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Emperor Palpatine's receiving chamber was a cold place, sterile and dark. Black floors and walls housed a long platform in front of a raised dais. The room was empty, save for a revolving throne atop a short staircase. A wall of transparisteel glowed with ambient light and silhouetted the two figures centered on the dais.  
  
Mara Jade, Emperor's Hand, stood to the left of Palpatine's throne. Barely more than a teenager, her stoic posture reflected years of training and discipline. She watched expressionlessly as Darth Vader ascended the staircase and knelt before the throne.  
  
The Emperor spoke abruptly, "Rise." Allowing his anger to permeate the room, he continued slowly, "I have received some disturbing reports of the destruction of the Death Star, Lord Vader. Are they true?"  
  
Vader stood and answered without hesitation, "They are true, my Master."  
  
"How did this happen?"  
  
An image of the victorious x-wing flashed into Vader's mind, but it vanished before the Emperor could grasp it. He responded as planned, "The Rebels were able to use the technical readouts of the Death Star to find a fatal weakness." He did not mention that he had been against the Emperor's idea to allow the plans to be leaked to the Rebellion in the first place. He snapped his mental shields down, cursing himself for his moment of weakness. He knew better.  
  
The Emperor glared at the Dark Lord, narrowing his eyes in a withering stare that would've brought a lesser man to his knees. Vader did not flinch. The Emperor rose to his feet and spoke curtly to the silent figure beside him, "Leave us."  
  
The young woman gave a cursory nod and descended the stairs gracefully, ignoring the towering shape of Darth Vader as she passed. Stepping into the corridor, she heard the Emperor's grating voice as the door slid shut behind her, "You have failed me, Lord Vader..."  
  
She had walked barely ten steps when Mara was staggered by an explosion of agony that bent her in half like blow to the stomach. Breaking over her in a cold sweat, waves of nausea propelled her to the nearest refresher. Clinging to the cold, sterile basin, she vomited.  
  
The pain stopped as abruptly as it had started and left her gasping on the floor. Reaching out with her senses to the Emperor's chamber, she slammed into a Force-generated duracrete wall. Her master was a proud man and she would not be privy to the horrors that continued behind closed doors. Emerging from the refresher, she managed not to stumble down the corridor.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Sitting in her master's chamber the next morning, Mara wondered for the thousandth time how such a catastrophe could have happened. It was inconceivable that Emperor's ultimate weapon had been destroyed by a rag-tag band of guerillas, especially when her master was in charge of the operation. It was not like him to fail.  
  
Across the room, Darth Vader was re-wiring a portion of the circuitry board from his chest plate. She would have offered to help, but he always seemed content when he was fixing something. She had done it before, years ago when the Emperor's wrath had left him unconscious and barely able to breathe. Fortunately, she'd found him before his brain tissue had begun to swell from the hypoxic encephalopathy that would have happened in a matter of minutes.  
  
She did not have to speak the foremost thought in her mind. He spoke it first, "You are wondering what happened." It was not a question. And, although he was still blocking his emotions, she could tell from the tension in his voice that he remained in a great deal of pain.  
  
"Yes, Master," she answered quietly.  
  
He took a ragged breath. "The Death Star was destroyed by a single Rebel pilot." Ignoring her shock of disbelief in the Force, he continued, "He is very strong in the Force." He paused for another breath. "As you know, the Emperor is leaving tomorrow and will be gone for the next ten days." Another pause as he turned to face her directly, "I want you to find out the identity of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. Be back before the Emperor returns." He turned back to his workstation. "You may go."  
  
Mara bowed at the waist and silently left the chamber.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Mara returned to her quarters to plan for her upcoming mission. She had decided that infiltration would be the fastest way to obtain information about the mysterious Rebel pilot. Thanks to the Emperor, she had an almost unlimited database at her disposal. She also had access to delicate information gathered by the Imperial spy network, for which she was occasionally an agent herself.  
  
She felt no qualms about using the Palpatine's vast information sources to carry out her secret mission. He was little more than an employer to her, even if he did provide her comfortable surroundings. The Emperor may have supervised her extensive training in combat and covert operations and even taught her a few rudimentary Force skills, but it was Vader who had recognized her full potential. Sitting back from the computer as it gathered data, she remembered...  
  
It had been somewhere around the beginning of her twelfth year. She did not celebrate Life Days, but she had an approximate idea of her age. She had been training in an elite Imperial facility, attempting to use the Force to enhance her speed through a particularly difficult obstacle course.  
  
She was alone, or so she thought, and so preoccupied with her efforts that she did not notice the hulking form of Lord Vader until she stumbled out of the last obstacle and crashed into him. Falling back to the floor, she looked up, holding her breath and waiting for the reprimand that she was certain to receive.  
  
It didn't come. Instead, Vader held out his hand and helped her to her feet. When he spoke, it was without reproach, "The Force is with you, young one; but you are working against it."  
  
Mara brushed a strand of hair away from her face and huffed, "I'm _trying_."  
  
Vader's voice softened, "Try again. But this time, concentrate on the moment. _Feel._ Don't think. Use your instincts."  
  
Mara nodded. Following his instruction, she was able to almost double her time through the course after only a couple of runs. He did not stay long and when he left, she felt strangely disappointed.  
  
After that day, she had looked forward to any chance of being in close proximity to him, secretly wanting the chance to learn from him. Even though he was somewhat detached, he was a good teacher and generally patient in spite of her bouts of teenage belligerence. She'd heard rumors about his temper but eventually followed her instincts and found that she need not fear him. He was indeed formidable, and even a bit stern, but he consistently treated her with respect...almost chivalrous.  
  
The Emperor, however, had no such scruples. He had struck her many times in anger and she'd learned early on that failure or, even worse, disobedience was met with painful consequences. She had made that particular mistake only once, and was left bleeding and discarded on the floor. She vaguely remembered the swirl of a black cape around her as she lost consciousness.  
  
She had awakened in an unfamiliar room and sat up nervously on what appeared to be a makeshift bed. Venturing into a short corridor, she found Vader standing with his back to her in the next room, hands behind his back, looking out at the stars through the viewport. They were in his private chambers.  
  
Her head was pounding and she reached up expecting to feel a gash or a bloody bandage. Instead, she felt only a thin, swollen line across her forehead.  
  
Vader's voice startled her, "It should heal quickly, there will be no scar."  
  
He turned slightly while replacing the black glove on his pale left hand. The room was silent except for his breathing as she struggled to absorb what had just happened. Still fingering the wound on her forehead, she wondered aloud, "You did this?"  
  
It could have been the pain talking or maybe it was the head injury, but she was suddenly and irrationally angry. Voice dripping with sarcasm, she sneered, "_You_ did this. I thought only _Jedi_ could heal."  
  
White-hot anger shocked her back against the wall and she wondered if would actually hurt her. He did not move. She faced him, breathless, as cold moisture formed on her palms. Stretching out tentatively with the Force, her fear dissolved as realization slowly dawned. "You were a Jedi," she whispered.  
  
The room turned as cold as his voice, "I was young and weak. You will not speak of it again." He turned his back to her, "Leave now."  
  
Mara turned to go, but wavered in the doorway. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "May I call you 'Master'?" He was silent and she continued quickly before she could lose her nerve, "The Emperor only teaches me what is useful to him. And I want to learn to use the Force...all of it." She stopped before speaking what was truly in her 13 year-old heart, _And you are the closest thing to a father I've ever had._  
  
Vader turned slowly and closed the distance between them. For the first time, she saw his eyes behind the mask as they bore into hers. He had blue eyes, and she wondered if anyone had seen them since his accident. Could he read her thoughts? Surely it was her imagination that led her to believe that his voice seemed almost gentle when he answered, "I will train you, but the Emperor must never know." She nodded. "Go home. You will need rest."  
  
...A signal from the console snapped Mara's attention back to the present. Time was of essence and she had preparations to make.


	2. Chapter Two

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated.

**CHAPTER TWO**  
  
Elastic starlines snapped back to pinpoints as the modified Z-95t Headhunter reverted to realspace just outside the Malastare System. Mara had appropriated... more so stolen... the snubfighter from the Imperial Intelligence hangar on Coruscant, and wanted to ensure that she wasn't being tailed by making a series of jumps and microjumps to her intended destination. Intelligence had uncovered a small band of Alliance pilots at M'Haeli, and the _Devastator_ was moving in from Sullust to intercept.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
TIE fighters poured from the _Devastator_ as Mara's Headhunter decanted from hyperspace some distance away from the battle. Tiny lines of red and green announced the beginning of the battle. Mara nosed her snubfighter towards the melee at full throttle, which still proved to be too slow. She checked her computer, and despite the danger of jumping so close to M'Haeli's mass shadow, she keyed the coordinates and went to lightspeed.  
  
Mara came out of hyperspace right at the edge of the main battle, and right in the middle of a smaller dogfight. To call it a dogfight was being kind, as it was more like a predator hunting wounded prey. Mara's sensors showed the X-wing's shields were failing fast as the three TIEs who were in pursuit closed in on its tail. The X-wing's pilot juked erratically as he tried to avoid blast after blast, but his efforts were unsuccessful, and his shields shrank as he took hit after hit.  
  
One of the TIEs broke off from the pursuit and headed towards her, firing as it closed in. A self-satisfying smirk formed on Mara's face as she thought, _You just signed your own death warrant, my friend_. Mara flipped the Z-95t on it port side and dived towards the planet. As the TIE dived after her, she ruddered hard to the starboard side and swung herself back towards space, and right into the path of the fleeing X-wing. She did a quick spin as the distance between her Headhunter and the X-wing closed, the TIE pilot firing constantly behind her. She was within meters of crashing into the oncoming Alliance snubfighter when she flipped her craft so that her cockpit was adjacent to his. She passed so close to the X-wing that she could make out the terrified expression on the pilot's face. Panicking, he dived away from her. Mara did the same, leaving her pursuer right in the path of the oncoming TIEs' laser blasts. She caught the explosion out of the corner of her eye as she swung around to help the Alliance pilot. Catching up with the chase, she urged every bit of speed she could from the Z-95t.  
  
Bringing her ship up behind the TIEs, Mara armed her proton torpedoes. She keyed in a firing sequence as she allowed the TIE pilots enough time to know that she had a target-lock on them. The two TIEs broke in opposite directions to escape destruction. The first TIE veered sharply to port as her first missile rocketed towards him. Mara ruddered hard to starboard as her second missile fired and immediately triggered her quad lasers. The second missile, programmed to go a few meters to the left of the first, found its target as her quads burned through the cockpit of the other TIE. Mara flew between the twin fireballs, catching a bit of shrapnel as the explosions blossomed beside her. Bits of metal bounced harmlessly of her shields, but a larger chunk punched a hole in her starboard S-foil. The damage not severe enough to impede her mission, she caught up with the X-wing.  
  
The Alliance pilot's static-laden voice came across her comm as they both headed away from the battle. "Thanks. I would've been space-dust if you hadn't come along. Any way I can repay you?"  
  
"I took a few hits back there... and I think that blast may have fried my targeting system. I could use some repairs." Mara lied as she pulled her blaster out of its holster and readied a fire extinguisher.  
  
"Give me a secure channel and I can send you some coordinates. I'm sure the Alliance would be more than happy to fix your ship." She could feel the sincerity pouring from the young man.  
  
"Copy that." Mara replied. "Transmit on tight-beam channel three-one-six. Short burst only. That should be secure enough to get us out of here."  
  
"Sending jump coordinates now." He said. "When you get there, make sure you to tell them you're with me. My name is Dack Ralter."  
  
Mara answered only with a single click of her comm. She fired once into her targeting computer and quickly extinguished the fire. She then keyed in the coordinates Dack had sent her and jumped into hyperspace to her new destination - Ord Mantell.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Mara landed in the hanger and climbed out of the battered Headhunter. Dack was waiting for her.  
  
"Are you okay? Thanks again for your help out there." He forced himself to look at the damaged ship and not at the slim figure in the flight suit standing in front of him. "It doesn't look too bad. I'm sure we can help you repair it before..." his voice trailed off.  
  
She had removed her helmet and was pushing a stray lock of red-gold hair away from the most beautiful green eyes he'd ever seen. He swallowed. "...before you go home," he finished weakly.  
  
Adopting her most mournful expression, Mara lowered her head, "I can't go home. The Empire destroyed it. I just barely got away, but my parents didn't -" she covered her mouth with her hand and paused for effect.  
  
Dack murmured something about being sorry.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and stepped closer to him. "I want to join the Alliance," she declared, hoping she had added the right amount of sincerity and zealousness to her voice.  
  
Dack's face lit up like a nightclub on Coruscant. "Well, um, I didn't catch your name."  
  
"Alyssa," she smiled.  
  
"Well, Alyssa. I think that can be arranged."  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Mara sat in the mess hall the next morning and picked at the painful excuse for a meal. Pilots, crew, and officers mingled freely among the tables. It was a far cry from the strict formality and organization to which she was accustomed.  
  
A tray landed on the table and she looked up to see Dack standing over her. "Mind if I join you?" he grinned.  
  
"Not at all," she smiled. She'd probably smiled more in the last 24 hours than she had in her entire life and her face was starting to hurt.  
  
He sat across from her and attacked his food like he hadn't eaten in years. "I told the captain about your fancy flying out there," he spoke between mouthfuls, "and he was pretty impressed. Said you could go out on our next training mission with Skywalker. If you can fly an X-wing, that is."  
  
"I can fly anything." Dack raised his eyebrows. "At least, that's what my Pa said," she added quickly, cursing her carelessness. It was true, though. She'd learned from the best.  
  
"Who's Skywalker?" she asked.  
  
"Luke Skywalker," he answered. "They've put him in charge of forming a new fighter squadron since we lost almost everyone at the Death Star."  
  
_Now we're getting somewhere,_ she thought.  
  
"Were you at the _Death Star?_" she asked, lacing the question with fabricated awe.  
  
"No," he looked disappointed. "I joined right after. Luke was there, though. He said it was intense."  
  
"Well, he must be pretty good if he made it through," Mara prodded casually, taking a sip from her cup.  
  
"Oh, he made it all right," Dack laughed. "He's the one who blew the thing up."  
  
Mara hoped this guy wasn't Force-sensitive. She knew she hadn't shielded her surprise fast enough and just barely managed not to spit her drink out all over the table as it was.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Luke's my roommate," he bragged. "Told me all about it."  
  
Mara no longer had to feign interest as she memorized everything Dack told her about Luke Skywalker. The irony of the situation was not lost on her. She'd spent twenty years training in every known form of Imperial espionage, and the practice of 'engaging in mess hall conversation' had never once been mentioned.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
After three days of studying activity patterns inside the rebel base, Mara had decided that early morning was the best time to hack into the central computer. The tech on duty was easily distracted by a Force-generated power surge down the corridor and she slipped into the command center unnoticed.  
  
The base's central computer system was jury-rigged from several antiquated pieces of Old Republic equipment. At the heart of the system, and the newest piece by at least 50 years, was an outdated Imperial RTT-7000 central processing unit. Mara smiled to herself as she sat down at the terminal and hit the required seven keys simultaneously.  
  
The holoscreen before her went blank for a few seconds before it queried, "ENTER BLUENEK AUTHORIZATION CODE". Not even the galaxy's best slicers knew about the secret backdoor Palpatine had installed in every Imperial, and a nearly every private, computer network and system. She entered "AUTHORIZATION BLUENEK TWO SEVEN ITHOR FOUR NINE NABOO", and the computer listed a complete film map of the network. Finding the enlistment roster, she typed in the name "Skywalker", and was rewarded with two files flashing on the screen.  
  
She pulled up the most recent file and Luke Skywalker's record appeared, complete with a holo. Slapping a datacard into the console, she studied his image as the file downloaded. He was young, probably close to her age, with blue eyes and unkempt hair. _Not much to look at,_ she thought.  
  
The short download complete, she pulled up the second "Skywalker" file. The screen flashed a garbled image and went blank. Whatever information had been there once was gone now, the data corrupted.  
  
"Hey!" the tech had returned and was standing indignantly in the doorway. "What are you doing?"  
  
Mara calmly removed the datacard and tucked it into a pouch on her belt.  
  
The tech continued, "You're not authorized -"  
  
_THUD!_  
  
He bounced off the wall and collapsed, the bridge of his nose shattered into his brain. He'd never seen it coming. Mara dragged his body into a supply closet. She'd be long gone from the rebel base before anyone found him.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Mara entered the main hangar wearing what had to be the ugliest flight suit she'd ever seen. She wasn't the type to concern herself with fashion, but _orange?_ She rolled her eyes disgust, glad that this charade was almost over. Today was the first training mission for the squadron to which she'd been assigned. She quickly located her designated X-wing...right next to Skywalker's.  
  
She recognized him immediately from the holo. Opening an access panel on her ship's hull, she pretended to make adjustments while watching Skywalker out of the corner of her eye. He would be targeted for capture as soon as the Empire discovered his identity, and Mara would not risk the humiliation of fingering the wrong man.  
  
Vader had felt his presence above the Death Star and there was only one way to know for sure. Closing her eyes, she inhaled and stretched out with the Force. When she opened her eyes, Skywalker had lit up like a beacon, his Force signature pulsing with _power._  
  
Skywalker froze. Abruptly, he turned his head as if expecting to find someone behind him.  
  
"Shavit!" Mara swore. Shielding her presence, she turned away and collided into Dack.  
  
"Hey Alyssa," he grinned. "Ready to go?"  
  
"You bet," she answered, smiling perhaps a bit too much.  
  
He frowned. "You look nervous. Need some help?"  
  
"No," she closed the panel on the hull. "I did sims all day yesterday. I'm good."  
  
Securing her crash harness inside the cockpit, Mara ignored the training coordinates being relayed through her astromech droid. After that day, "Alyssa's" Alliance personnel file would indicate her status as A.W.O.L.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
A small light appeared on the console of the holoprojector in Vader's meditation chamber on board the _Executor._ It was more than enough to break his concentration, as the last couple of months had left him distracted. His thoughts still dwelled on the Rebel pilot, and his failure at Yavin. He gave the computer the necessary instructions for the replacement of his helmet, the apparatus sealing his helmet and mask with a vicious hiss, making him complete again. He pushed the lighted button on the console and waited. Seconds later, the transparent image of Admiral Ozzel appeared on the holoprojector viewer.  
  
"Lord Vader, you have a notification of transmission on your private channel."  
  
Vader felt an unfamiliar leap of his heart. Could it be? He hadn't expected Mara to return so soon. Was she able to find the identity of the young pilot so quickly? Surely it was so, as Mara Jade didn't return from important missions without complete success. It was not in her nature. "Send me the transmission, Admiral."  
  
The image of Admiral Ozzel gave a slight nod. "Right away, my Lord." The holoprojector image faded.  
  
The image of Mara Jade appeared on the holoviewer. "I have the information you requested, Master."  
  
"Come to my quarters. The entry code is being transmitted." Vader relayed the code to Mara's datapad.  
  
Mara moved silently through the corridors of the _Executor,_ careful to stay in shadows. The Emperor had eyes and ears everywhere and it would not do for her to be seen entering her master's chamber.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
The door to Vader's chamber slid open and his lithe young apprentice came inside. She bowed at the waist and prepared to kneel, Vader stopped her with a wave of his hand. "You may dispense with pleasantries, my apprentice. Tell me what you have learned."  
  
Mara stood. "Yes, Master. The pilot was a moisture farmer from Tatooine and new to the Rebellion. He was recruited by Princess Leia Organa. Apparently, he was one of the rebels who helped the princess escape from the Death Star."  
  
Although the mention of his home planet was an unwanted reminder, Vader bristled visibly at the name "Leia Organa". She had perpetuated the attack on the Death Star by bringing the plans to the Rebellion. He had used a truth serum to gain the location of the stolen plans, but the stubborn princess had refused to give in. While he begrudgingly respected her courage and conviction, her traitorous nature had been the bane of his former supervisor, Grand Moff Tarkin. The events of that day had resulted in the destruction of her planet. While he more than likely couldn't have stopped Tarkin from the destruction of Alderaan, he felt it was a waste, and had earlier crossed the line of insubordination when speaking his thoughts on the matter.  
  
If he had been the weak man he was in his former life, he would have been shattered by the useless destruction of an entire planet and the grief of the young girl. She had won a certain unwarranted respect from him with her dignified response to the travesty. As it was, he had made sure that her inclination to attack Tarkin physically was thwarted by holding her to him during the whole ordeal. It would have been suicide.  
  
Vader turned his attention back to Mara, who waited patiently for the signal to go on. "His name?"  
  
She removed the pirated datacard from her belt and inserted it into the viewer. The file holo and data appeared on screen, "His name is Luke Skywalker."  
  
Darth Vader stared at the sandy-haired youth in the holo and struggled to find breath. Silence permeated the air, the hiss of Vader's breathing apparatus eerie in the quiet. Mara wondered briefly if it had malfunctioned.  
  
She paused, assuming her master simply needed time to soak in the knowledge of the Rebel pilot who had cost him so much. She doubted that assumption almost immediately as a strange pressure began to build inside her head. Her master's hands, which had been resting on his knees, had balled themselves into dangerous looking fists. Involuntarily, she backed against the wall.  
  
Vader's temper was infamous. In truth, having become closer to him, she realized the episodic loss of patience with subordinates was not as far as her master could be pushed. Choking a subordinate for their inadequacy as an officer was one thing, this seemed to be much different.  
  
Static was building in the room, the almost crushing weight of the Force gathering around him, around them both. Instinct told her that she was about to witness the full wrath of Darth Vader. The pressure in her head was almost unbearable. A taste of blood filled her mouth as she inadvertently bit her tongue, fighting the urge to flee. She waited, not wanting to break protocol, and hoped that she hadn't been naive all these years about her master's ability to control himself. One never knew with the Dark Side.  
  
Vader finally spoke, the dismissal short, "Go."  
  
Mara turned and stumbled toward the door. She fled the chamber at a dead run as the walls started to shake.  
  
_Skywalker..._ the name roared through his mind like the sandstorms of the Tatooine dessert. He had not known. He was a Sith and he had not known, he seethed. His breathing finally regulated, he felt the storm subsiding around him as he digested the information his apprentice had just given him. Could it be? Had the traitorous Jedi somehow hidden his child from him? He would have given Obi-Wan much credit, but never with something like this.  
  
He thought of his wife. _Padme._ The name was wrenched from somewhere inside of him. It came from a place that refused to let her be tainted by darkness. Guarded by someone he no longer knew, or cared to. This memory now held him captive, and he feared that it would rend his well-placed order and indifference into pieces. A voice from far inside him howled at the transgression, its secret now open and vulnerable, open to far more dangerous evils than his own.  
  
Unbeknownst to him, she must have delivered the child in hiding. The direction his thoughts were going was treacherous. He forced himself to slow down and make sure he was shielding his thoughts. The Emperor would be aware of the disturbance in the Force if he were not careful. _Luke Skywalker..._, the name like a litany in his mind, a child's taunt. _A moisture farmer on Tatooine_... Had Padme left their child with the Lars family on Tatooine? He fought the compulsion to give voice to the thoughts whirling in his mind.  
  
_Apparently, he was one of the rebels who helped the princess escape from the Death Star._ Obi-Wan. The boy had been with Obi-Wan. He vaguely remembered, through the haze of blaster fire, a young man standing at the foot of the rebel ship's landing ramp. Right in front of him.  
  
A slow, burning desperation was building inside him. He must find his son.


	3. Chapter Three

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THREE**  
  
Mara watched as the Emperor drummed his fingers slowly on the arms of his throne. Perhaps for the first time ever, she sensed that he was…..uncertain. In fact, she felt it as clearly as if he had spoken the sentiment aloud. Her talent for receiving thoughts, images and feelings was the only Force ability that the Palpatine had cultivated in her extensively and, on occasions such as today where the air around her practically hummed with undercurrents of emotion, she couldn't decide if it was a blessing or a curse.  
  
The holographic image of Darth Vader appeared and the Emperor spoke, "We have a new enemy. Luke Skywalker."  
  
Mara felt Vader's knee-jerk reaction to the name and his immediate block. For reasons that she did not understand, the name _Luke Skywalker_ evoked powerful emotions from her master, which he hid obsessively from his own master.  
  
A spike of disgust flared from across the room. Prince Xizor, head of the Black Sun crime organization, watched the conversation with perverse interest. He hated Darth Vader with a violent intensity. She noted that Xizor was mentally cataloging the conversation, predictably storing information for future ammunition.  
  
Mara despised Prince Xizor. One of her few fantasies in life was the opportunity to rid the galaxy of his repulsive presence. Undoubtedly, his freakish human replica droid-bodyguard would attempt to intervene. Mara suppressed a smile at the thought. It would, indeed, be a dream come true.  
  
The transmission ended and Palpatine resumed his dealings with Xizor. Mara replayed the previous conversation in her mind. Her master had just promised to turn Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side or destroy him. She did not need her Force bond with him to know that he was deadly serious.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
_A towering black figure appeared from unknown shadows. Announced only by the sound of a mechanical ventilator, he advanced steadily, without hesitation. His red sword ignited in response to the blue blade held resolutely in front of him. He struck once and was blocked. Twice more the glowing sabers clashed before the blue blade delivered the killing blow…_  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Nearby, a diminutive Jedi Master lifted his head as if listening to a distant refrain. A soft grunt was his only reply as he resumed his patient vigil.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Across the galaxy, Emperor Palpatine stared trance-like into space. His yellow eyes narrowed to slits as the image of a dark cave filled his vision.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
"No!" Mara cried, jerking bolt upright in her bunk. Gasping and drenched in sweat, she glanced around the familiar surroundings of the _Executor,_ reorienting herself. Pushing damp hair away from her face with trembling hands, she realized that the dream had not been her own, but an echo from her master. Throwing back the covers and slapping the exit panel, she hurried from her quarters.  
  
Standing outside Vader's chamber, Mara sent an inquiring pulse through the Force. There was a slight hesitation before the door opened and she entered silently. Cape discarded; he stood in front of a large viewport, hands clasped behind his back.  
  
Barefoot and clad in her loose fitting sleep pants and tunic, Mara wondered briefly if she should've made herself more presentable. She brushed the thought aside quickly. Her master had certainly seen her looking much worse.  
  
Vader's respiratory rate was slightly elevated as the haunting implication of the vision hung in the air like a fog.  
  
She spoke quietly, "Is it the future?"  
  
He answered slowly, "The future is always in motion."  
  
"Is Skywalker that powerful?"  
  
Vader turned to face her as the jagged sensations that clashed within him resolved themselves into bitter determination, "Not yet."  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
The atmosphere on the _Executor_ was charged with apprehension. Darth Vader stood looking out of the view port of his beloved Star Destroyer. It was the only thing of any kind of personal value to him that he had left..._until now_, a voice whispered at the back of his mind.  
  
It seemed like ages had past since his conversation with his apprentice, when in fact it hadn't been long at all. His conversation with the Emperor about Luke Skywalker and the dream of the cave had left him uneasy, the whole business now taking on an added air of peril. His feelings on the matter had caught him off guard in their intensity and he worked to calm the maelstrom of different thoughts that had haunted him since the dream. He was not sure where these thoughts had come from or why he had been inclined to convince his Master that the boy should be turned instead of destroyed. He was sure, however, that the Emperor would not be denied his prize. The boy would be turned or Vader _would_ be obligated to terminate his life. A cold feeling snaked up his spine at the thought of the latter; he quickly straightened, dismissing the thoughts as quickly as he had found them. He would do what he must.  
  
To compound his troubles, the failures at Hoth and subsequent Asteroid field chase had left him with nothing. The Empire had succeeded in driving the Rebels from the base on the frozen planet. The Rebels had maintained serious casualties, yet still managed to flee somewhat intact. They had been aware of the imminent arrival of the fleet due to the stupid and insolent miscalculation of Admiral Ozzel. The man had paid dearly; Darth Vader had no patience for fools.  
  
After the dismissal of Ozzel, Vader had promoted the young Captain Piett, and sent him off with the command to start the search for the pirate Han Solo's ship. Vader thought of the _Millennium Falcon_. The ship had caused him more trouble than the Jedi when they were at large, and he was beginning to lose his well-maintained sense of control. The pirate would pay for his crimes against the Empire soon. Vader drew in a deep breath and made his way to the bridge.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Vader stalked in front of a motley crew of the galaxy's most infamous bounty hunters. He could feel the crew's distaste at sharing the bridge with the objectionable group of "professionals".  
  
"There will be a substantial reward for anyone who finds the _Millennium Falcon_. You are free to use any means necessary, but I want them alive. No disintegrations."  
  
The last statement was directed to Boba Fett, perhaps the most merciless of the bounty hunter's guild, known for his attention to detail. As the Dark Lord finished, Admiral Piett rushed forward to inform him of the status of their search - they had located their quarry.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
One month later, Mara found Darth Vader in the executive command center perusing detailed plans for a new _Death Star._ The Emperor had commissioned the battle station and placed Vader in charge of its construction.  
  
He had not spoken of the confrontation with Luke Skywalker on Bespin since his return to the _Executor_, but the damaged armor on his right shoulder had been all the evidence she needed to deduce its outcome. He seemed to have changed since the trip to the gas planet. In the last month, she often found him brooding out viewports, or even shut away in his private chambers, deep in meditation. There seemed to be a desperate air about him. It was almost as if he were trying to regain something he had lost, something just outside his reach. Mara decided that the more desperate he became the more dangerous he was.  
  
Mara approached her master with care. She sensed in the force that his mood remained black and detached.  
  
He addressed her tersely, "Yes?"  
  
"The Emperor commands that I return to Coruscant."  
  
He nodded in acknowledgment, and dismissal.


	4. Chapter Four

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated.

**CHAPTER FOUR**  
  
Mara Jade bowed briefly and then held herself upright. The fact that she did not address him formally was not lost on Emperor Palpatine.  
  
"I have an assignment for you," he began slowly, voice grating in the hollowness of his chamber. "You have heard communications regarding a potential Force-adept named Luke Skywalker."  
  
"I have heard of him, yes," she answered smoothly.  
  
"He has returned to his home planet of Tatooine. You will find him at the palace of a Hutt crime lord named Jabba." He pressed a key on the console beneath his fingers. "The coordinates have been sent to your private files."  
  
The Emperor settled back into his throne, "Go to Tatooine and kill Luke Skywalker."  
  
Startled, she opened her mouth only to close it again as she sought the proper words with which to question the Emperor. "Of course," she hesitated. "But what of the plan for Lord Vader to recruit him?"  
  
"Lord Vader's opportunity to convert the boy has expired," came the curt response. "I will not allow Skywalker to become a Jedi. You will ensure that he doesn't."  
  
Turning away, he discharged her simply, "Go."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
The phrase lingered in the air as the door closed silently behind her.  
  
_Master_  
  
It was a lie, of course. The Emperor knew of her true allegiance. The deception had amused him briefly, but Skywalker's emergence would not permit the tolerance of further distractions.  
  
The girl's devotion to Vader was unfortunate and her attempt on Skywalker's life would be their unraveling. Lord Vader would destroy her, just as Prince Xizor had met his untimely demise during an ill-fated attack against the would-be Jedi.  
  
The Emperor gazed out of the viewport and sneered as much as his gnarled features would allow. The loss of a Hand was of no consequence to him. He had others.  
  
His servants' pathetic charade had continued long enough. And now, it would end.


	5. Chapter Five

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated.

**CHAPTER FIVE**  
  
The coordinates that Mara received from the Emperor did not lead her directly to Jabba the Hutt's fortress on Tatooine, but rather to an Imperial contact in Mos Espa. Mara recognized him as a former agent of the Black Sun organization.  
  
The disheveled human met her promptly at the designated tapcaf with a satchel containing a datapad and supplies for infiltrating Jabba's palace. Mara was momentarily offended that the Emperor thought she needed such facilitation, but accepted the items without question.  
  
Not by accident, the contact situated his case on the table so as to fully reveal its contents. Inside were several datapads bearing a faded logo that Mara recognized as one of the many fronts for Xizor's personal intelligence operations. Leaning forward, he hissed through blackened teeth, "They're for sale."  
  
From the looks of him, Mara could see why. Tattered clothes and offensive odor aside, his eyes revealed the desperation of a man who had obviously known better times. Prince Xizor had provided well for his subordinates, but his death had left most unemployed and undesirable to any prospective employer who knew of their past affiliation.  
  
Mara gave the case a cursory glance. While information was typically more valuable than spice, one had to be cautious about the source of both. She eyed the would-be seller carefully, "How do I know they're not blank?"  
  
Reaching into the case, the man keyed the pads with a grimy fingernail. The index on each seemed to support a reasonable amount of data, but Mara knew better than to appear curious. She regarded him with a bored expression, "I'm waiting to be impressed."  
  
"Ah," he grinned. "So perhaps the Empire would be interested in some of the more _personal_ affairs of the late Dark Prince." Placing one of the datapads in front of her, he opened the index to reveal the titles of the file folders.  
  
Mara scanned down the list of files pertaining to properties, trade routes, investments, etc. No doubt there were rivals who would pay dearly for such information, but Mara knew that Imperial intelligence had already cataloged and confiscated everything contained in the files in front of her.  
  
The final folder was untitled and she specified it with a flick of her finger, "Open that one."  
  
The man hesitated and then shrugged, "Nothing of value there. Mostly corrupted files." Sure enough, almost all of the filenames were garbled, but one caught her attention: _Darth Vader._ Mara was not surprised that Xizor would hoard information about his most hated enemy, and she found herself intrigued to see the contents.  
  
Leaning back and crossing her arms, she indicated the pad in front of her, "How much for that one?"  
  
Money was not an issue, of course. Mara had a sizeable Imperial account at her disposal, but she engaged in the customary haggling anyway. Shortly thereafter, the man packed up his case and slipped out of the tapcaf. If he did not spend his profit on glitterstim, he would be able to eat well for several months. Mara doubted that he would be so frugal.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Secluded in her stripped-down Imperial craft, Mara inspected the contents of the satchel. The datapad provided coordinates and contact information for an audition as a dancer in Jabba's palace the next day. That certainly explained the remainder of the satchel's contents: a black mesh bodice with a scrap of blue material over the bust area attached to a flimsy excuse for a skirt, a silver headband, black wig, and thigh-high black boots. She made a mental note to find and castigate the operative responsible for such a humiliating facade.  
  
Tossing the costume aside, she reached for the purchased datapad and opened the file titled _Darth Vader._ Feeling suddenly guilty, she set the pad down on the console in front of her and walked to the opposite side of the cabin. Her master would not appreciate such an invasion of privacy. Then again, the file could contain nothing but rumors and HoloNet-caliber tripe.  
  
After several minutes of indecision, she sat down and picked up the datapad again. Should the file contain information that was potentially harmful to her master, such as the location of his private residence, he would need to be warned. No doubt, the seedy Imperial contact was pandering copies of his "exclusive" data around the Outer Rim.  
  
She needn't have worried. Most of the data was indeed corrupted or garbled. Scrolling through the file, she stopped suddenly at the headings:  
  
HOMEWORLD: TATOOINE  
  
_Really?_ Mara startled. _Here?_  
  
NAME: ANAKIN.................  
  
She squinted and adjusted the view quality, but could not decipher the rest. "Anakin"...something. The remainder of the file was blank. Mara returned the datapad to the console and gazed at it thoughtfully. She had never known her master's real name. In fact, she knew very little about his life before the Empire. He'd made a few vague references over the years, but was intensely private about his affairs otherwise.  
  
Shaking off the reverie, she stood and cleared as much of the cabin area as possible. Mara had studied dance as part of her childhood training, but doubted that anything sophisticated would be appreciated there. Finding some appropriately gaudy music in the audio files, she began to choreograph an equally garish routine.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
A brief audition for one of the Hutt's minions earned Mara, or "Arica" as she had introduced herself, a position on the midnight entertainment shift in Jabba's court. Fortunately, the repulsive slug was sleeping at 0200 and Mara took advantage of the opportunity to study the layout of the main audience chamber. She quickly identified several points of origin for an attack against Skywalker, but would need to explore the area around the chamber as well.  
  
The fact that she was unarmed was a potential problem, but she could confiscate a weapon from one of the various guards or bounty hunters scattered among the crowd when the time came. Mara was close to Skywalker's height and felt certain that she could rival him in hand-to-hand combat, but he would be armed with his lightsaber.  
  
Mara shifted uncomfortably on the stone platform and found herself hoping for the latter scenario. She would gladly turn Skywalker's own blade against him. Maybe then the cave nightmares would stop...  
  
She startled at a tap on her shoulder and turned to see one of the other dancers, "Shift's over, 'hon."  
  
Mara started to follow the others down the damp corridor that lead to The Dancers' Pit, but doubled back almost immediately to continue her mental mapping of the area surrounding Jabba's court.  
  
She spotted two Gamorrean guards ahead and slipped into a dark alcove as they passed. No sooner were they out of sight, than Mara was accosted by a seedy-looking Devonarian standing in the doorway.  
  
"Back off," she warned.  
  
Hissing something unintelligible with a lust-filled grin, he blocked the exit. Mara fixed him with a cold stare and stood motionless as his smile turned to horror. Clutching his throat and gasping for air, he lunged forward only to be repelled by a powerful kick to the chest.  
  
He crumpled to his knees, still clawing uselessly at his windpipe, and five ragged breaths later, it was over. Mara stepped over his body and continued down the corridor, doubting seriously that anyone would even notice a corpse in this stink hole.  
  
Passing the Rancor's dungeon, she continued several levels down until she reached what appeared to be a large hangar, or storehouse. In the dim light, she could see that the room was cluttered floor to ceiling with artifacts both modern and antique. Jabba was either an avid collector or simply never threw anything away.  
  
Droid and machine parts were scattered among various unidentifiable items that had probably been presented as gifts or bribes. Around the perimeter of the room, Mara could make out the larger outlines of a T-16 skyhopper, the head of a krayt dragon, and what appeared to be the cockpit of an old Podracer.  
  
She had seen a Podrace once, years ago, while accompanying Vader on a mission to Malastare. She remembered a drunken freighter pilot bragging that he would be in the next race, only to be scorned by the locals who proclaimed that it could not be done by a human. Sensing Vader's disagreement, she had asked him about it later; but he merely responded that almost anything could be done with the Force.  
  
Picking her way through a rather eclectic art collection, she crossed the room to where the cockpit was partially propped against a wall. It was small with splashes of blue and silver paint partially visible beneath layers of dust. An oversized holocube rested on a stand just above the Podracer.  
  
Mara stepped closer and inspected the holo. It was an image of a young sandy-haired boy standing in front of the same blue and silver Podracer, a huge grin spreading across his face. The inscription at the lower border of the holocube read: "Anakin Skywalker, Boonta Eve Classic."  
  
_Anakin Skywalker_  
  
Mara recoiled from the holo as if it had struck her a blow.  
  
_Surely not._  
  
A dull pressure began building in her ears as she backed away from the cockpit and into the wall.  
  
_It couldn't be._  
  
But the boy's eyes in the holo...she had seen them before...  
  
And suddenly, like pieces of a giant mysterious puzzle, answers to years of unspoken questions fell into place: the two _Skywalker_ files in the Rebel data base, her master's reaction to Luke Skywalker's name, the Emperor's apprehension about the potential Jedi, Vader's "failure" at Bespin.  
  
The roaring pressure in Mara's head was deafening as the realization of the true reason for her assignment here dawned. Breathing in shallow gasps, she slid down the wall to the dirt floor and hugged her knees to her chest.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Hours later, a ripple in the Force announced Skywalker's arrival. Mara had not moved. The pressure was gone now, replaced by a heavy feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.  
  
Resigned to her decision, she stood slowly against aching and sleep-deprived muscles and made her way carefully out of the storehouse. A damp breeze filled the corridor leading to Jabba's audience chamber and Mara wished, not for the first time, that she had something to cover her scanty attire.  
  
Arriving at the dancers' platform, Mara observed the court proceedings with detached interest. Her attention turned to Skywalker. His hair was darker and shorter than it had been years ago at the Rebel base, but still bore a striking resemblance to the boy in the holocube. The Force, no longer latent, pulsed and glowed around him so that Mara wondered how each sentient being in the room did not see it.  
  
Everything seemed to move in slow motion - the pistol flying through the air, the trap door giving way, the bloodthirsty crowd cheering madly as the Rancor roared below. Mara watched numbly as Skywalker departed the chamber shortly thereafter. He'd lost his cloak. The crowd adjourned to the Sail Barge and she climbed down into the Rancor pit.  
  
The carcass of the beast remained impaled where it had fallen, the owner nowhere to be seen. Stepping over various skeletal remains to Skywalker's discarded robe, Mara lifted it out of the dirt and held it up to the dim light. The thin material was practically transparent. It was black. Had Skywalker foreseen his destiny?  
  
In spite of the sweltering, humid dungeon, Mara shivered. Wrapping the robe around her bare shoulders, she climbed out of the pit.


	6. Chapter Six

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated.

**CHAPTER SIX  
**  
The throne room of his Master yawned before Darth Vader. As the doors to the lift opened, he saw the throne of his Emperor standing before him; the obsidian matte back hid his Master as he faced the stars through the viewport. Though he could not see him, he felt the malevolence in his Master's presence and a sense of dread came over him. This was not going to be just any summons. Slowly, the Emperor turned to Vader.  
  
"Greetings, Lord Vader."  
  
Vader kneeled in front of his Master. "What is thy bidding, my Master?"  
  
The Emperor waved dismissively at the Royal Guards. "Leave us."  
  
"You have been busy, Lord Vader. Even now I can feel the fear in your heart. Fear that I will find out about your apprentice and your years of betrayal." The Emperor spat the last word out viciously.  
  
Vader's heart began a staccato rhythm in his chest and he felt a rivulet of sweat make its way down the side of his face under the mask. Sometimes the reminders that he was still human chose to show themselves at the most incongruous moments; but then, there was nothing he feared in the galaxy, save his Master. The room was electric with dark side energy and his mind worked furiously to shield any thoughts of Mara Jade or her previous mission to find his son.  
  
"Yes," the Emperor hissed softly. "Your feelings betray you, Lord Vader."  
  
Too late.  
  
The Emperor continued, his voice menacing. "Do not concern yourself, my friend. You will find that as we speak, Mara Jade is doing _my_ bidding. I have sent her on an assignment that will rid us of the threat of the Jedi."  
  
Vader tensed inside the armor, a sense of foreboding settling over him. Surely it was not as it seemed. His mind ticked off occasions and opportunities that Mara Jade would have had to betray him. He realized had been far too trusting of the girl. He had let his well-maintained defenses down. After all of these years, he thought he had learned his lesson, he silently mocked himself. He could feel the gathering storm building within himself, the howl of anger rising in his ears.  
  
Working furiously to regain his sense of control, he clamped down on the uncontrollable rage that was another man's. A man who never learned to detach himself from his enemy, who never learned the value of that detachment and how easy it was to terminate something you had no feeling or thought for. That man was dead. This man, Darth Vader would get retribution, but he could wait for it.  
  
Gloating at Vader's unspoken reaction, the Emperor continued, "I have given the mission to terminate young Skywalker's life to her in your stead. You no longer have to worry about killing your own seed. You will go back to your ship and await my orders."  
  
The Emperor pressed the button on his throne, turning to once again face the galaxy that was his alone, leaving Vader biting back his last vestige of control. There was no need in trying to refute any part of this. Relieved at the prospect of being rid of his Master's presence, Vader rose and left the room.  
  
As soon as he was a safe distance from the Throne Room, the maelstrom that was his thoughts returned to him, his mind working feverishly. He was losing control of the situation and the chance to turn his son instead of ending his life. He saw Luke's chances diminishing rapidly. From somewhere deep inside, the voice that lied in wait - his constant companion, howled in misery.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**

Entering her Imperial Center apartment, Mara locked the access panel and shrugged off her filthy clothes. She leaned heavily against the wall of the refresher as hot water washed the Tatooine sand into the drain. If only it could wash away the ache of dread gnawing at the pit of her stomach. Undoubtedly, the Emperor's spies had already reported her failure. She could beg for mercy. Maybe she'd only need a few bacta patches when he'd finished with her. Maybe.  
  
_No_, she thought, pulling on her clothes. She had made the choice to defy the Emperor and would face the consequences without degrading herself.  
  
Completely preoccupied with her thoughts, Mara failed to notice the arrival of the dark presence in her quarters. Returning to the bedroom, she froze. Darth Vader stood motionlessly against the far wall, the only sound the menacing hiss of his mechanical breather.  
  
A feeling of unease came over Mara as she tried to assess the state of her Master. There were times that he could appear from nowhere, it seemed, and had the frightening ability to remain completely still. He was at his most dangerous at these times, the calm eerily projected around him, like a kiljarik asp right before it struck. It was at these times, Mara recalled with a sense of rising apprehension, that people died.  
  
"Master-" she began hesitantly, before realizing that the fact that he was in her room was not as ominous, however, as his demeanor in the Force. Barely controlled rage smoldered behind the outward calm.  
  
"Where have you been?" he asked slowly.  
  
"I had an assignment from the Emperor," she replied, her voice shaking.  
  
"The Emperor told me that you were sent to kill Skywalker." The tone of his voice belied the impatience and fury she sensed rising with every second.  
  
Disconcerted, she shook her head slowly, a trickle of fear twisting its way around her. Why would Palpatine tell him, knowing what his reaction would be...? She pushed the thought out of her mind, trying her best to shield.  
  
Mara realized that Vader's right hand rested on the pommel of his lightsaber.  
  
"I didn't do it," she answered hoarsely.  
  
Lifting Luke's Jedi robe off the bed with his other hand, Vader held it up. She'd forgotten it was there. There was a blur of movement, and then he was in front of her - his saber drawn and ignited, the red blade hissing menacingly. Only a fool did not tremble before Lord Vader's sword and Mara backed against the wall, the trickle of fear exploding into a tidal wave.  
  
"Master...I can explain..."

"Do not lie to me, Mara Jade," he continued, his voice vibrating in her ears. "And do not presume to call me 'Master' when you serve another."  
  
"It's the truth," she implored.  
  
The glowing blade stopped just short of her throat and Mara inhaled a ragged breath.  
  
"_I would not kill your son_!"  
  
The revelation detonated between them like a concussion missile. Vader lowered his blade and stepped back as Mara clung to the wall. For a moment, there was no sound, not even that of the mechanical breather.  
  
"_What_...did you say?" he asked slowly, his voice barely audible to Mara's ears, the noise of fear drowning it out.  
  
If Mara had any doubt about her deduction, it was erased now. The room seemed to vibrate with a darkness that spoke volumes of the terrifying state of Vader's mood. She spoke quickly, frantically – her words tumbling together, "There was a holocube, in Jabba's palace, with a Podracer, and an image of Anakin Skywalker."  
  
Vader took a menacing step towards her. "_ Do not_ speak _that name_ aloud ever again."  
  
The words were spoken with deadly precision, cold and brutal, emphasized by the gloved finger he was pointing at her. Mara could feel her Master's disposition through the Force; this was something that was absolutely not to be questioned.  
  
He allowed her to continue, "Luke Skywalker bears the likeness of...the boy...in the holo. And he is a Jedi."  
  
_Jedi..._  
  
It lingered in the air like the tail of a comet. Vader absorbed the statement in silence, but the air around him almost crackled with energy.  
  
De-activating his lightsaber abruptly, he handed it to Mara. "You must leave. The Emperor knows of our alliance and there is a warrant for your arrest. Your weapons have been confiscated."  
  
She took the saber hesitantly.  
  
"Go," he commanded. "And do not come back."  
  
With the last statement, Vader turned and left, black cape swirling behind him as he strode out of Mara's chambers. She couldn't help but feel an acute sense of despair, as if it were the last conversation they would ever have...  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**

Advancing cautiously down the corridor, Mara avoided or destroyed security cameras as she made her way to the executive shipyard where fingerprint access would allow her to procure a vehicle without questions.  
  
_...do not come back_ The order followed her, haunting her. She pushed it from her mind. There was no time now to think of anything but escape.  
  
"Halt!" called the mechanical voice of a stormtrooper.  
  
_Blast!_ She hadn't even felt him coming.  
  
Mara bolted down the passage, blocking blaster bolts with Vader's lightsaber. Rounding a corner, she came to a dead stop. An entire garrison of troopers surrounded her. She couldn't possibly deflect them all. Shutting down the saber, she placed it in the outstretched hand of the commanding officer and choked down the bile rising in her throat. 


	7. Chapter Seven

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**  
  
Red-clad Royal Guards shoved Mara to her knees in front of the Emperor's throne before departing at his command. Mara gritted her teeth and struggled to control quivering muscles in her legs. Exhausted to the point of collapse, she refused to allow Palpatine the satisfaction of watching her tremble.  
  
The Emperor spoke slowly, calculating, "So tell me, my Hand. Have you completed your assignment to terminate the life of young Skywalker?"  
  
"No, Master." He had not asked for an explanation and she didn't offer one.  
  
"You do not often fail, Mara Jade," he continued with a hint of mockery. "What prevented your success?"  
  
"He escaped." An inaudible vibration of dark energy was gathering around them. Even if she had wanted to elaborate, speech was suddenly difficult in the oppressive air.  
  
Palpatine leaned forward for emphasis, taunting her, "You will be interested to know that my spies tell me you made no attempt against the boy whatsoever."  
  
Mara stared at the floor in front of her. There was nothing she could say that would not condemn her further. Now she simply clung to the hope of a swift retribution.  
  
"Do you presume now to choose which of my commands you will follow?"  
  
Again, she remained silent. Icy contempt descended from the throne like a fog and licked at her mind with poisonous fingers. Her pulse pounded against her temples, her vision tunneling before her.  
  
"Ah," the Emperor straightened. "Perhaps Lord Vader can offer some enlightenment here."  
  
Mara was peripherally aware of her master's presence as he entered the room silently and took his place at the right hand of the Emperor.  
  
"We are discussing the fact that your _apprentice_ here has taken it upon herself to blatantly disregard a direct order. I would have thought that you had already instructed her about the hazards of disloyalty." Palpatine's voice grated in a menacing crescendo. He turned his attention to Mara, "Get up, girl."  
  
Her legs felt oddly detached from her body as she struggled to her feet and straightened her shoulders in quiet determination.  
  
The Emperor's ominous voice pierced her with open contempt, "It is time to end this pathetic farce. You do not serve two masters, Mara Jade. You will do as I command or you will face the consequences."  
  
Mara glared at him, green eyes burning. "I will not betray my master," she answered calmly, proud that her voice did not shake. "And I will not destroy his son."  
  
Palpatine's yellow eyes flared briefly with understanding before narrowing to dangerous slits. "I see," he hissed. "It is not treason that compels you."  
  
Rising slowly from his throne, the dark sovereign raised his hands threateningly, "Unfortunately, girl, your devotion is sadly _misplaced!_"  
  
Mara felt the first vicious assault of force lightning as her vision went white.  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**

Vader watched as torrents of lightning flew from his master's fingertips and his apprentice writhed in pain on the floor. He tried to remain detached, waiting for the lightning to stop. Surely the Emperor would not kill one of his own Hands. As soon as the thought entered his mind, he negated it. Of course he would, he was a Sith, like Vader himself.  
  
As much as he would have liked to deny it, his apprentice's life was worth something to him. He inwardly cursed the weak man that still dwelled inside of him, the man that insidiously whispered that the ends did not always justify the means. In an intrepid moment of weakness, Vader stepped forward as if to intervene.  
  
The lightning stopped abruptly. Palpatine looked up at his servant with malicious intent. "Do you wish to save this upstart, Lord Vader? I think it is time that we discuss where _your_ loyalties lie, my friend."  
  
Vader started cautiously, "My loyalty is to you only, my Master. She is nothing but a girl. We wished merely to bring Skywalker before you, so that you may turn him to the dark side."  
  
"Do NOT patronize me, Lord Vader!" the Emperor spat, and Vader felt the weight of his master's vengeance on his mind, probing and ripping through his thoughts. The Emperor was powerful; the most powerful force user in the galaxy, but Vader had become accustomed to his probes over the years and threw the appropriate shields up. He wished fervently for something to hold on to while fighting the malicious encounter with the Emperor's inquisition.  
  
It was over as soon as it had begun. Suddenly calm, the Emperor stepped towards Vader, leaving Mara convulsing on the ground. "You wish to save her, don't you, _Lord_ Vader?" He said the word "Lord" as if it were an insult.  
  
Vader could feel Mara's pain, the memory of the damage lightning could do was never far from his thoughts. He could almost smell the stench of melted circuits that would permeate the mask and bring him helpless to his knees. There was a disadvantage to the life that had been given back to him so long ago.  
  
Again, the Emperor invaded his thoughts, "If you intervene, you _will_ die."  
  
He continued with sinister finality, "I will then place your armor and mask on your son. He will rule the galaxy at my side. He will have all of the pleasures and comforts that you have born, Lord Vader. _All_ of them."  
  
Cold dread settled in the pit of Vader's stomach as he realized what his master meant: his son's mutilated body entombed alive. Luke would share his fate, and his injuries. He would be forced to live his life in the armor that had plagued his father since his birth as the Dark Lord. An image of Luke's face in his own helmet flashed before his eyes. The image from the cave.  
  
Vader weighed his options, but in the end, he had no choice. If Luke was to live and rule by his side, then _he_ must live. He stepped slowly away from Mara and the Emperor and the scene before him, the girl's horrified expression searing itself into his mind. With one last look, he turned to leave.  
  
He drew the Dark side around him; its cold comfort would soon make him forget the agonized screams that followed him down the corridor. It would soon make him forget his apprentice.  
  
_You are fooling yourself..._  
  
He chose to ignore the voice. There was nothing more he could do. 


	8. Chapter Eight

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feedback is appreciated.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**  
  
The lift doors opened as Vader made his way down the catwalk. The sight of his son standing in the lift with the officers stopped him short. He quelled the feelings that were running rampantly through him, making himself sure of his shields. He had been surprised at the Emperor's assertion that his son would come to him, but as usual, his Master had been correct.  
  
He vaguely heard the officer's words as he handed the boy's lightsaber to him. He could not take his eyes from his son. He reveled in being so close to him. _My eyes._ Why had he not noticed them before? Yes...my eyes, but _her _face. It took everything in his powerful body not to lose himself in the memory. He turned and started slowly down the catwalk.  
  
"The Emperor has been expecting you."  
  
For a moment his son stared into the obsidian lenses that had been Vader's eyes to the world, and then he turned away, falling in step beside Vader. "I know...Father."  
  
Vader's heart leapt. "So, you have finally accepted the truth."  
  
"I have accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father."  
  
The cursed name jerked Vader back into the reality of the situation, lighting a small flame in his blood. He could feel the voice laying in wait ..._gloating._  
  
"_That name_ no longer has any meaning for me."  
  
Hearing the name of his former self twice in the recent past galled him. He meant to rid himself of the memory once and for all.  
  
Luke was clearly satisfied at his father's insistent reaction to his real name. "It is the name of your true self, you've only forgotten. I _know_ there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully." Luke turned and walked to the edge of the catwalk.  
  
Vader knew Luke was using Jedi-voice manipulation. "That's why you couldn't destroy me. That's why you won't take me to your Emperor now."  
  
Vader admitted within himself the pride at Luke's growth. He was truly a Jedi now. He ignited the blade of Luke's lightsaber. "I see you have constructed a new lightsaber. Your skills are complete. Indeed you are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen."  
  
He extinguished the saber's brilliant green glow, turning away from is son; the feelings were strange to him.  
  
Luke turned to face his father's back. "Come with me." The words were insistent, almost desperate.  
  
"Obi-Wan once thought as you do." How long had it been since he had thought of his old Master with something other than disgust? This would not do. He must gain control.  
  
Vader turned back to face Luke. "You don't know the power of the dark side, I _must_ obey my Master."  
  
Luke took a step closer. "I will not turn. And you'll be forced to destroy me."  
  
"If that is your destiny," Vader said resignedly. He did not want to destroy his son, but the time had come. He _could not_ hold back, as he once had. Too much had happened. Too many had paid to bring Luke to this point.  
  
"Search your feelings, Father," Luke implored. "You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate."  
  
Vader would argue with Luke no longer. It was time for destiny to take them where it may. To continue would be pointless. "The Emperor will show the true nature of the Force. He is your master now."  
  
Vader opened the lift doors with a wave of his hand and signaled for the stormtroopers. He turned to Luke hesitantly, saying the only thing he knew for certain now. "It is too late for me, son."  
  
Luke nodded slowly. "Then my father is truly dead," he answered despondently.  
  
Vader watched warily as Luke was led off to the lift.  
  
Unbelievably, the other voice, the voice that had taunted him through the years, the voice that had beguiled him into taking an apprentice, the voice that made him weak; _that_ voice was quiet now, as it had been through the entire conversation with his son. Perhaps it was admitting defeat after all these years. _Good._ Wasn't that what he, Lord Vader wanted, to finally win the battle that had been raging for over two decades inside his head..._in his soul?_  
  
He turned to the overlook of the walkway as the lift doors closed in front his son. For the first time in a long time, his thoughts turned to his wife. _Was this what you wanted? Truly, you have no honor. How she would admire the thought of you and your actions. _  
  
Ah, there it was. He should have known it wouldn't stay quiet for long. Normally he would rage at the voice or snuff it out. More often these days, since his confrontation with the Emperor and the subsequent loss of his apprentice, he just gave in, too tired to dispute his loyalties. The years seemed to weigh more on him now. Was Mara dead? He could not find her presence in the Force.  
  
He had tried to keep the voice, _and the feelings_, at bay; to keep some order to his thoughts. They had been mercurial, like his temper. It frightened him more than he would admit. Perhaps the man who had been silent for so long in his early career was gaining strength, and that would do nothing for either Luke or himself. That weak, inept part of him had died long ago, and it was for the better. It had gained him nothing with Mara. It would gain him nothing with Luke.  
  
How had it all come to this? At what point, did the universe tilt and sweep Luke into this all-encompassing misery that had been his life for twenty years? He let his thoughts drift to Padmé, the face she shared with Luke fresh in his mind.

_I cannot go where you are going, but my heart is yours forever, Ani...even if you don't want it._

Had he said he didn't want it? He couldn't remember. The years ran together now and sometimes things that had seemed so real before, now seemed misty - like in a dream. Lately, in his weakest of moments, he would remember meadows and waterfalls, a time when things had seemed simpler, even if they were not. Then he would return to the power that sustained him, the murky comfort. He had resigned himself to his life of dark detachment a long time ago.  
  
She would have wanted the boy to save him. He was like her. He had her soul. He also had her damnable naiveté. At least there was chance with Luke; Padm's innocence had ultimately cost her everything. She had put her faith in those that could not help her, pining for something that could never be again.  
  
_Perhaps that naiveté will save your wretched soul..._ the voice taunted.

He pushed the voice back in his mind. As he had told his son, there was no hope for him now. Perhaps at the beginning, if things had been different... No, there was not even room for that line of thought. Luke must be made to understand that the dark side was the only way. That was where true power was found. The Jedi ways were dead.  
  
He turned for the lift to join his son and, for the first time, could feel no definite impression in the Force. Nothing. Perhaps his destiny was calling today after all. _The Force help us all..._


	9. Chapter Nine

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N: This will be the final chapter before the Epilogue.** We are toying with the idea of writing a short sequel. Thanks for reading and we appreciate all the feedback!

**CHAPTER NINE**  
  
The lift opened allowing Darth Vader and his son to enter the Emperor's throne room aboard the Death Star, the space before them stretching out like an eternity. The Emperor watched as his apprentice and the young Jedi walked across the dark space to stand before the throne, father and son - side by side. Vader felt the disgust of his son at the hideous appearance of the Emperor ripple through him. _How then, would he view me?_ Crippled and mutilated, that would be how. He mentally shrugged off the disquieting thoughts and focused on the scene at hand. Obediently, he bowed to his Master.  
  
"Welcome, young Skywalker, I have been expecting you," the Emperor proclaimed arrogantly.  
  
Vader turned to see his son regarding the hooded figure defiantly.  
  
"You will no longer need those." The Emperor motioned with his finger and Luke's binders fell away, clattering to the floor.  
  
"Guards, leave us."  
  
Vader watched as the red-cloaked guards turned and disappeared behind the elevator, a sense of unease settling upon him. He knew, even without the Force, that the coming confrontation would be the hardest of his life. Suddenly, his heart was thumping in his chest.  
  
"I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me Master," the Emperor gloated.  
  
"You're gravely mistaken. You won't convert me as you did my father," was Luke's reply. Irritatingly, his son exuded the calm and peace of a Jedi in the face of the Emperor's spiteful diatribe.  
  
"Oh no, my young Jedi, you will find that it is you who are mistaken...about a great  
many things."  
  
"His lightsaber," Vader said, handing his Master Luke's lightsaber.  
  
"Ah yes, a Jedi's weapon, much like your father's. By now you must know your father can never be turned from the dark side. So will it be with you."  
  
Luke squared his shoulders and looked at the Emperor. "You're wrong. Soon I'll be dead...and you with me."  
  
The Emperor laughed an impious, gleeful laugh and Vader felt an unnatural shiver run down his spine.  
  
"Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet," the Emperor said to Luke.  
  
Vader knew that the Emperor had prepared for the arrival of the Rebels and soon, the blight of the galaxy would be gone. In this, at least, he could feel satisfaction.  
  
Luke looked up sharply. _The Emperor has found a crack in his armor_, Vader thought with satisfaction. Perhaps this wouldn't be as hard as he feared, and his son would embrace the darkness. He must see that it was the only way. If he could just be turned, he could live and serve by his father's side. Together they could bring peace at last and rid themselves of the Emperor. Vader was thankful for his Master's fixation on Luke, realizing the treacherous thoughts came too easy these days.  
  
"Yes...I assure you we are quite safe from your friends here."  
  
The Emperor's voice pulled Vader back into the moment. He watched as the Emperor taunted his son, using his words to prod his son into the submission that he himself had so freely given as a young man.  
  
"Your overconfidence is your weakness," Luke replied.  
  
"Your faith in your friends is yours," the Emperor spat back at him.  
  
Vader knew the method the Emperor was employing. He would wear Luke down, using Luke's own fears and uncertainties against him. "It is pointless to resist, my son," he said.  
  
"Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design," the Emperor gloated, pointing to the glowing sphere in the viewport.  
  
"Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon are walking into a trap. As is your Rebel fleet! It was _I_ who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them."  
  
Luke's eyes darted from the Emperor to Vader and, finally, to the lightsaber that lay under the Emperor's hand.  
  
"Oh...I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive," the Emperor mocked Luke.  
  
Vader observed objectively as a horrified Luke watch the aerial battle out the window. A Rebel ship exploded against the protective shield of the Death Star.  
  
"As you can see, my young apprentice, your friends have failed. Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station," the Emperor bit out.  
  
The Emperor pushed a button on the arm of his throne and ordered, "Fire at will, Commander!"  
  
A Rebel cruiser exploded before them.  
  
"Your fleet has lost. And your friends on the Endor moon will not survive. There is no escape, my young apprentice. The Alliance will die...as will your friends," the Emperor continued sadly.  
  
Vader watched his son guardedly, Luke's presence in the force changing in front of him. He could feel his son's power swelling around him.  
  
"Good...I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon! Strike me down with all your hatred, and your journey towards the dark side will be complete."  
  
The will to resist gone, Luke used the Force to reclaim his lightsaber. The saber flew into Luke's hand and he ignited it in one swift motion and swung. Vader's lightsaber blocked Luke's blow before it could reach the Emperor. So it would come to this...  
  
**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
The Emperor laughed as father and son locked their lightsabers in battle.  
  
The duel was fiercer than their encounter on Bespin. Vader had been on the attack, forcing Luke on the defensive, but Luke would not be beaten so easily this time. His son was a worthy adversary now, and Vader could not deny the pride that threatened to weaken his resolve to turn the young Jedi. Luke flipped to the catwalk above them.  
  
"Your thoughts betray you, Father. I feel the good in you...the conflict," Luke said knowingly.  
  
Vader blanched, his breathing labored. He looked up at the catwalk to his son.  
  
"There is no conflict."  
  
He would not allow his son to deter him this time.  
  
"You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before, and I don't believe you'll destroy me now," Luke claimed.  
  
Luke's confidence in Vader's weakness galled the dark lord. He would rid Luke of this incessant need to see the light in him at all cost. "You underestimate the power of the dark side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your _destiny_."  
  
Vader threw the lightsaber, its fiery red glow cutting through the supports under Luke's feet, and then returning to its master's hand.  
  
Luke tumbled to the ground in a shower of sparks and rolled out of sight to land under the platform that held the Emperor. Vader moved to find him, spreading his senses out like an animal stalking its prey.  
  
"Good...good," the Emperor crowed from above. Vader hardly heard him. He was on the scent now, the dark side surging through him.  
  
"You cannot hide forever, Luke." Vader walked around the steps of the platform and ducked to get inside.  
  
"I will not fight you," Luke insisted. His son's lightsaber rolled toward him on the duracreet floor.  
  
Using the Force, Vader drew Luke's lightsaber up to his left hand, and stalked the low-ceilinged area looking for his son. "Give yourself to the Dark Side. It is the only way you can save your friends. Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for..."  
  
Vader stopped. His senses were reeling with an undercurrent of recognition. A vision flashed before him, something Luke was hiding. With clarity one could only get from the Force, he saw brown eyes and his wife's likeness before him...  
  
...in the face of the Princess.  
  
Awareness blossomed in him, filling him with an unmitigated sense of satisfaction. So, there had been a second child – a twin. A daughter..._Padme's daughter. _  
  
Suddenly, he knew the key to turning his son, for it was the same weakness he, himself, shared. He turned towards Luke smugly.  
  
"...sister. _So_, you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps _she_ will."  
  
Suddenly Luke's lightsaber was pulled from his grasp.  
  
"NEVER!" Luke yelled.  
  
Vader looked up as Luke launched himself towards him, his lightsaber drawn. With an intensity that surprised him, even knowing his son's power, Luke came at him repeatedly. It was all Vader could do to deflect the blows as Luke tumbled into the abyss of the dark side, his hatred forcing Vader to retreat out of the low area and to the catwalk that stretched above the chasm below.  
  
Luke's lightsaber moved so fast that Vader couldn't see it, each stroke driving his father towards defeat. Vader yelled as he was knocked to his knees, his saber raised to block another assault. Dark side energy was pulsing around them, elated to finally have its prize. Suddenly, he felt the sting of circuits being cut in two in his right arm. He realized with a faint sense of shock that Luke had cut his arm off above the wrist. His lightsaber fell uselessly away, over the edge of the platform and into the bottomless shaft below.  
  
Luke moved over his father and held his lightsaber at his throat, a look of wild, unrestrained rage on his face.  
  
_Was this me? Did I look like this as I tumbled over the edge?_ The realization struck Vader that he had gotten what he wanted. Why did he feel a rising sense of dread? He heard the Emperor walking down the steps, cackling miserably.  
  
"Good...," he said hypnotically. "Your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side."  
  
Vader watched with a sense of trepidation as Luke looked at his hand and then his own. Time seemed to stop and remembrance was flung at him from somewhere outside of his awareness. A moment where another young Jedi had been faced with the same decision, and had failed.  
  
Luke de-activated his lightsaber. "Never," he said, with a note of triumph as he tossed aside his lightsaber.  
  
"I'll never turn to the Dark Side."  
  
He watched as Luke walked slowly towards Palpatine. "You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi. Like my father before me."  
  
With those words, images of a young handsome man came to Vader's mind – brash but compassionate, arrogant but needy, good yet misled - the face that belonged to _the voice_ rose in his mind. The man he had given his soul had just offered his place to his son. He thought of the years of subjugation, a small flame of defiance welling in him. It occurred to him that he had never really been free. There was no such thing as freedom.  
  
His son had just passed the test he had failed so miserably so many years ago. His mother would have been proud.  
  
The Emperor's glee turned to rage. He walked dangerously toward Luke.  
  
"So be it..._Jedi_," he spat.  
  
"If you will not be turned, _you will be destroyed._"  
  
Vader watched in mounting horror as the Emperor raised his arms. He knew what was to come next. He had lost Mara to the vicious torrent of dark side energy that the Emperor so loved to call on, and now Luke would suffer the same fate.  
  
With every fiber left in his body aching, he pulled himself up off the floor, as the Emperor released a violent wave of blue Sith lightning into his son.  
  
He saw that Luke tried to use the Force to deflect the storm that was being unleashed, but the bolts of energy were coming with such swiftness and power that Luke wavered before them, his knees buckling.  
  
"Young fool. Only now, at the end, do you understand," Palpatine continued. He walked down the steps towards Luke slowly.  
  
Luke clutched a raised cylinder on the bridge to keep from falling into the shaft as the lightning tore through him.  
  
"Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side," the Emperor swore.  
  
As the lightning continued, Vader walked to his Master in a daze. From somewhere outside his realm of hearing he heard Palpatine taunting his son again.  
  
"You have _paid_ the price for your lack of _vision._"  
  
Luke reached toward Vader, "Father, please. Help me."  
  
Vader watched numbly as Luke screamed in agony. He looked at his Master, then back to Luke on the floor.  
  
"And now, young Skywalker, you _will_ die."  
  
Dragging himself from the conflict within, Vader realized he didn't have much time, as he looked to Luke writhing on the ground in front of him. This choice would be the greatest thing he could do with his life.  
  
He thought of the people - his mother, his wife, the Jedi, and his apprentice – all of the people he had forsaken with his choices. He thought of these people that had believed in him and counted on him. It was time to end the enslavement and give in to the will of the Force.  
  
With a heave of his body, Vader grabbed Palpatine from behind, and picked him up over his head. He fought for control of the robed figure despite his weakened body and missing arm. The Emperor struggled in his embrace, the lightning now arcing back onto Vader.  
  
Vader stumbled with his load as the waves of blue fire rained on his helmet and down over his black, lighting him with excruciating agony. He could feel the circuits blowing and shorting in the suit that had kept him alive for the past two decades. He held Palpatine over his head and fought for a final burst of strength, from somewhere it came and he threw the Sith over the edge of the abyss at the central core of the throne room. As Palpatine fell, his body exploded, creating a rush of cold air through the room.  
  
Vader staggered toward the edge of the abyss and collapsed, his cape whipped by the force the wind.  
  
He felt rather than saw Luke at his side, pulling him away from the edge to safety. When Luke was successful he fell at Vader's side. Vader moved his fingers and realized that Luke was holding his hand.

**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
Suddenly there was chaos surrounding them. The Death Star was being rocked by explosions as the Rebel fleet unloaded a heavy barrage of laser fire. Imperial troops ran - confused and desperate to escape.  
  
In the midst of the cacophony, Luke tried carrying the mass of his father's ever-weakening body toward an Imperial shuttle. Panting and unable to go any further, Luke collapsed from the strain. The explosions were growing louder.  
  
Vader thought about Luke's belief in the man that was Anakin Skywalker, and knew that this was who he was. He was Anakin, not Darth Vader. Suddenly, the overwhelming need to speak with his son, as his father - not his pursuer, came over him. He drew Luke closer.  
  
"Luke...help me...take this...mask off." The feeble words felt odd coming out of his mouth.  
  
"But you'll die," Luke warned him.  
  
Darth Vader knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was dying. He knew that death would be his repayment to the Force when he had made his decision to fulfill the destiny that he fought for so long. He struggled for the strength to speak.  
  
"Nothing...can stop that...now. Just for once...let me look on you...with my own eyes," he pleaded.  
  
Hesitantly, Luke removed the mask from his father's face. He felt the coolness of natural air on his face for the first time in twenty years. It felt like a lifetime. His eyes slowly focused and he managed to finally see his son.  
  
_This_ should have been what kept him from the dark side, he thought sadly. Luke and his sister should have been enough, Padme should have been enough. What a fool had had been. He had turned his back on Mara. He had hurt his family, and betrayed the Jedi's faith in him. In that moment he missed Padme terribly. But for now, he smiled at the sight before him. Luke was looking down with him with regret, so many years lost.  
  
"Now...go...my son. Leave me," he said weakly.  
  
"No. You're coming with me. I can't leave you. I've got to save you," Luke said, his cheeks wet with tears.  
  
There was love written on Luke's face, he hadn't felt that since before... There were so many memories – of podracing through the canyons of Tatooine, of receiving his Obi-Wan's treasured rock, picnics in fields, his wedding, the curve of his wife's neck where her hair fell on her shoulder...  
  
He turned his waning attention back to Luke, desperate to make him see his victory. "You already have, Luke. You were right about me. Tell your sister...you were right." He managed to get the last words out before Luke's face blurred before him.  
  
Hazily he saw his daughter with the pilot, Han Solo, surrounded by laughing children. He saw a laughing Luke holding an infant with piercing blue eyes and red hair, his other arm around the blurry, yet familar figure of a beautiful fiery woman who stood with her arms wrapped around them both.  
  
_Ani, it's time._  
  
An overwhelming sense of joy came over him as saw his wife before him, her outstretched arms open for him. Prepared to be there with him for whatever may come. _Goodbye, Luke..._  
  
"Father...I won't leave you," Luke sobbed.  
  
With a sigh, Darth Vader closed his eyes, and Anakin Skywalker died.

**xxxxxxxxxx**  
  
On Endor, Luke set a torch to the logs stacked under a funeral pyre where his father's body lay. He had put the mask back on because he couldn't bear to see his father's face as the flames took him. It didn't matter now what the visage looked like, as he would forever be Anakin Skywalker. He stood watching sadly as the flames leapt higher to consume his father. In the sky above, fireworks exploded and the Rebel fighters celebrated victory.

_Peace at last..._


	10. Epilogue

**WHAT CHOICE REMAINS**

**Authors:** Co-written by **rhonderoo** and **Jedi Trace**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.

**A/N** to follow.

**Epilogue**  
  
_Five years later _  
  
Sitting in a high-backed chair, legs crossed casually, Mara Jade regarded the man lying on a cot in front of her. He stirred and opened his eyes briefly before returning to his drug-induced sleep.  
  
The glint of blue beneath his eyelids shocked her as effectively as a neuronic whip. Clenching her fists, she inhaled a calming breath. She should've known. She should have prepared herself for the fact that her captive would remind her of _him._  
  
Her faced burned at the memory of the last time she'd seen him; his back turned to her cries, long strides removing him from her agony...  
  
She had prayed for death in the end, but it had not come. Unconsciousness brought a merciful end to the torrent of Force lightning and the unbearable vibroblade of abandonment wedged in her heart.  
  
She had awakened in the stone prison cell that would be her home for the next two years. Ysalamiri cages were visible through the grate over her head, the cursed creatures creating a perimeter around her and negating her ability to sense or use the Force.  
  
It was during those years of solitary confinement that she learned to hate. The anguish of betrayal resolved itself into a bitter loathing that became her constant companion, her reason to live.  
  
When the New Republic finally discovered the secret Imperial prison and released her for lack of criminal evidence, she was consumed by the burning desire for revenge...  
  
She found him in deep space, floating in his crippled X-Wing, and convinced her employer to offer him transportation. She felt his familiar presence as he was brought on board. He felt her hatred.  
  
Lightly, she brushed the Jedi's lightsaber hanging on her belt. She could do it right now - cut him down in his sleep or shoot him point-blank in the head. It would all be over in a matter of seconds.

"_I will not betray my master. And I will not destroy his son." _

She had been a fool. Free from the blinders of childish devotion, she would complete the task she had begun years ago. Her only regret would be that her master would not be standing beside her. That he would not feel the searing pain ripping through the flesh of his only son.  
  
Could it possibly hurt him as much as he had hurt her?  
  
Luke Skywalker, now awake, sat calmly across from her. Their eyes met. He returned her cold stare with a clear, unwavering gaze, "Don't tell me; let me guess. You're Mara Jade."  
  
THE END

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**A/N:** Thanks to all who have read and reviewed this story! Our goal for this fic was to tie the OT and EU together in a manner that would be realistic in regards to the OT movies.....a "behind the scenes" story, if you will.

We know the end was sad - it depressed us too, LOL - and we have decided to write a short AU/Infinities-style sequel where Anakin survives after ROTJ. It is still in the planning stage, but we look forward to writing something a bit happier for our two favorite characters in the GFFA.

Thanks again!

:) Rhonderoo and Jedi Trace

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